A centrifugal or pot spinning machine and method are known for instance from German Patent Disclosures DE 42 08 039 A1 and DE 43 24 039 A1. Such centrifugal spinning machines as a rule include many spinning stations, each of which has one rotatable spinning centrifuge. Such spinning stations are supplied with sliver via a sliver drafting device, preferably a drafting roller mechanism, from which the drafted sliver is spun into a yarn by the action of the spinning centrifuge as it rotates about its center axis. In the process, the yarn passes through a tubular yarn guide and emerges from its orifice, and therefrom the yarn is applied to the inner wall of the spinning centrifuge in layers, forming a so-called spinning cake. This deposition of the spinning cake is accomplished by generating a relative motion, also known as a shogging motion, between the yarn guide and the spinning centrifuge in the axial direction which is generated by a drive device for the yarn guide and/or for the spinning centrifuge. Once the spinning process is completed, or a predetermined amount of yarn is placed in the spinning centrifuge , the yarn cake spun to that time is wound onto a rewinding tube held in readiness on the yarn guide.
From German Patent Disclosure DE 41 02 549 A1, a ring spinning apparatus is known, with a drive device for generating an axial motion between a rotor revolving on a spinning ring and a yarn carrier disposed on a spindle roving frame. The drive device includes a lifting carriage, for instance, which can be shifted by a spindle arrangement. The spindles are driven preferably by an electric motor. In these known drive devices, it is disadvantageous that a relatively complicated arrangement has to be provided, which requires a relatively large amount of space. In addition, the drive spindles are located in an open exposed disposition where they tend to become heavily covered with lint and debris, especially in the environment of a spinning mill, and hence the spindles need a relatively large amount of maintenance.